


Screaming Silence

by Birdie_Castellan



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Dark, Deaf Character, Deaf Eggsy Unwin, Eggsy Unwin is a Little Shit, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, I'm Sorry, Impostor Syndrome, Internalized Ablism, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, It get's a bit dark before it gets light again, M/M, Not Britpicked, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, Song Lyrics, Swearing, Violence, this took a turn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:20:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23796025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Birdie_Castellan/pseuds/Birdie_Castellan
Summary: A year after losing his hearing on a mission, Eggsy has made it his mission to find out who keeps breaking into his room at the estate for no reason beyond placing brochure after brochure for hearing aids and implants on his pillow. A task that would be made a million times easier if Merlin would help out instead of running off every time they were in the same room for two seconds.
Relationships: Merlin/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Comments: 51
Kudos: 62





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If this makes less than no sense, then I apologize.  
> I've done some light editing, but that's about it.  
> This probably sucks, but at this point I don't care, so here we are.  
> Hope you enjoy!

Eggsy swore if he ever saw Bors again, he’d kill him. Thankfully, Eggsy had survived the explosion, though he wasn’t sure how he’d managed that. He'd been so close to the blast, everyone seemed quite surprised that he'd made it out without any permanent injuries. Or at least they'd all looked shocked to see him in one piece.

The ringing in his ears was well past the point of being annoying, so loud it drowned out every other sound for the past few hours. He could see the doctors lips moving, but couldn't make out what she was saying. "I can't hear you." Eggsy spoke at what he hoped was an appropriate volume. Or he at least thought he spoke. The vibrations in his throat felt like he'd spoken, but the doctor wasn't looking at him so he cleared his throat and tried again.

"I can't hear a fucking thing!" Gwen jumped, spinning around to stare at her patient. Galahad was never one for raising his voice without reason. Even when his words finally sunk in, Gwen remained frozen in place, staring at the young agent in shock. “Sorry,” Eggsy muttered, almost too low for the doctor to hear, “didn’t mean to shout like that, yeah? Just can’t hear nothing past the bloody ringing,” he was staring at his hands and didn’t notice Gwen approaching with a notepad and pen until they’d landed in his lap.

Eggsy looked up to find the doctor staring at him with a soft but stern expression and pointing at the pad she’d plopped on him. Picking it up, he finally broke eye contact with her to read the note she’d carefully scrawled. _I have to inform Arthur about this and let Merlin know you’re unavailable for debriefing._

His head whipped up to find Gwen standing at the foot of his bed, talking on the phone with someone. “Gwen, it ain’t a big deal, still one piece, yeah? ‘M fine, swear down,” the doctor stalked over, snatching the notepad and pen, she scrawled furiously before flinging the items back at him and walking back to her position at the end of the bed. _Yelling_ was all it said, though the heavily implied _please let me do my fucking job for once_ was received. Eggsy had a track record of being one of Gwen’s more stubborn patients. In fact he was the worst of the agents, and second only to Kingsman’s own quartermaster.

Speaking of the quartermaster, Merlin's brogue was thick as he demanded to know why exactly the uninjured Galahad couldn’t do his mission debrief. “What do ye mean he cannae feckin hear? Ye said he was nae injured, lass!” 

Gwen pinched her nose, letting out a frustrated sigh. “I didn’t say that, Merlin. I said he has no permanent external injuries.”

Merlin swore. “How is he handling it?”

“He seems to be doing well, sir. But you know Galahad could be dying and still try to convince you he’s perfectly fine.”

“Point taken.” Merlin swore again the instant he’d hung up. “What are we gonna do with ye, lad.”

~

The ringing finally subsided after a week, but after a year his hearing had yet to return. As soon as it became clear that Eggsy’s hearing wasn’t coming back any time soon, Merlin had asked all agents and staff at Kingsman to learn sign language, and had Eggsy switched to learning other languages in sign as well. He didn’t know when learning American Sign Language would come in handy, and why do they have a different language to British Sign Language? Canadian Sign Language at least made sense from a logical standpoint because they use both French and English, but the only difference between American and British English was the slang, weren’t it?

Roxy had gotten almost more proficient than Eggsy at BSL, and would go with him on missions as his interpreter. He’d gotten a good grasp on speaking at a normal volume, but unless someone let out an ungodly horror movie scream, Eggsy heard basically nothing.

At first he’d resented Roxy’s presence, resented that he needed someone else to join him on every mission he took on, resented her continued ability to hear when his was so violently and abruptly stolen from him. The ennui Eggsy felt over it all had grated on his nerves. He didn’t want to resent his best friend for something she couldn’t help. Roxy just wanted to help her friend continue doing the job he loved so much. It was something he grew to love her for.

The other agents had begun to call them the dynamic duo. It had been rare to see the two apart for more than five minutes before the accident, but now they were almost literally joined at the hip, not that either of them minded. Whether they were Roxy and Eggsy or Lancelot and Galahad, they had each other's backs through everything.

Harry was foolish enough to decide he should be the one to inform Michelle of the incident, only to have Michelle throw a hand towel at his face and screamed so loud he almost envied Eggsy for not being able to hear it. Only to have guilt wash over him immediately thereafter for ever thinking it.

Bors had apologized profusely on several occasions, to the point that Eggsy would rather lose a limb than spend five minutes alone with the other agent. But eventually even Bors quit bothering him about it.

Everything had slowly gone back to normal, or at least as close to normal as they could get, and for that he was grateful.

The only person who didn’t treat him the same as he had before was Merlin.

Merlin would smile at him or nod his head in greeting, but outside of mission briefing, debriefing, and meetings with the current round table agents, he always seemed to find an excuse to leave the room if it looked like he’d be alone with Eggsy for even two seconds. He’d thought after everything that happened on V-day, and the whole ordeal involved with getting Harry back and appointed Arthur, that they were becoming friends. But apparently Merlin thought otherwise. Or maybe he’d found out that Eggsy had developed feelings for him and this was his way of making it known that those feelings aren't reciprocated. If that was the case, Eggsy felt he had a pretty shitty way of handling it. 

But he had other issues to worry about right now. Figuring out what to get Daisy for her birthday for one. Or what to do about the fact that someone kept sneaking into his room at the estate and leaving brochures for doctors that specialized in making hearing aids and cochlear implants meant to help deaf and hard of hearing people hear better.

He didn’t need to hear, he was doing just fine without it, thanks. Besides, there might still be the possibility of his hearing returning of its own accord at some point, though he had to admit to himself that the chances of that got slimmer every day.

He knows that he would’ve caught whoever it was already if Merlin would talk to him long enough for Eggsy to convince him to set up extra security around his room. Instead he had to deal with throwing out brochure after brochure -what kind of doctor uses brochures any way- and make sure nothing else was out of place before he sprawled along the bed and finally drifted off.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eggsy gets some answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had about 200 words of this written for the last week and all of a sudden today inspiration struck in the form of angry Eggsy, so here we are! I hope you like it!

“Hello, Galahad,” Arthur said, looking over at Eggsy so the young agent could see him speak. They’d been working on improving his lip reading. “I didn’t expect you for another hour.”

Eggsy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Harry,” Eggsy’s voice was soft, but had a serious note to it that had Harry leaning forward.

“Eggsy, is something wrong?”

The young agent had gotten quite good at speaking and signing at the same time, Harry almost thought it impressive, if not for it’s obvious necessity. “No. I mean yes, but it’s not a big deal.”

Now Harry is the one to keep from rolling his eyes. “If it wasn’t a big deal, you would not have come to me, dear boy.”

“Yeah, alright,” Eggsy relents. “Someone keeps coming into my room and leaving these pamphlets for hearing aids and all that.” He plops himself in the chair opposite Harry, ignoring the man’s scolding look.

“Not a big deal if only I could get Merlin to talk with me, get a camera set up outside my room maybe, but he’s been ignoring me outside of Kingsman business." Eggsy sighs "If you could ask him to talk to me, or at least help me out, that’d be aces.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Harry signed.

“Thanks Haz! You’re the guv!”

A week later, Eggsy smiled as he paused to admire the new security camera positioned outside his room. Only for his joyful expression to immediately sour, his gaze landing on an annoyingly familiar sight. The folded paper sitting on his pillow hadn’t been there this morning, so the person who left it there had to get in through the window in order for them to escape notice.

Unless…

Unless Merlin was in on it somehow.

Unless Merlin was the one behind it.

Eggsy howled so loudly his throat ached.

He knew he was stomping, he could feel the force of it reverberating under his feet with each step. In fact, Eggsy would almost be willing to bet he sounded like a herd of bloody elephants had been set loose in Kingsman HQ. But he didn't care. Let them hear him coming.

He wanted Merlin to know as sure as seeing dark foreboding clouds brewing on the horizon that there was no stopping Eggsy now. The quartermaster would just have to weather the lightning storm of the young agent's rage.

~

Merlin's gaze never wavered from the screen before him as Eggsy thundered into the office without warning, bar the heavy footfalls pounding through the corridors, and slapped the most recent of leaflets on the desk in accusation. Fury rolled off the young agent like a tidal wave, chest heaving with rage and eyes alight with fire.

The lad lent against the wall with his arms crossed, refusing to speak until he had Merlin's full and undivided attention. Attention the Scotsman finally gave after pinching the bridge of his nose with a frustrated sigh.

“Galahad,” He greeted as calmly as possible. Merlin may look stoic and unshakable on the outside, his resting murder face still solidly in place, but internally he was a giant ball of anxiety. The man simply had an excellent poker face. “to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

Eggsy remained frustratingly silent, simply thrusting his chin at the paper he’d so violently placed before the wizard, eyes narrowing as he awaited Merlin’s reaction.

There was no point in playing this game any longer. They both knew Eggsy had gained a wealth of patience since the loss of his hearing and could now give even Merlin himself a run for his money when it came to waiting someone out.

The lad was particularly skilled at doing exactly what he was demonstrating at this very moment; standing in place and staring silently until the subject of his stare finally folded. But he did have to admit though Eggsy was rather short for a lad of his age and stature, he cut an intimidating figure no matter what clothes he wore or who his ire was aimed towards.

So with a deep calming breath, Merlin finally picked up the booklet and tossed it not unlike a frisbee towards his rubbish bin. Eggsy merely cocked an eyebrow at the Scot. “I’m sorry if I upset ye lad, I assure you that was nae my intention. Ye just seemed so put out at the thought of never hearing again, I-” Merlin tried again, one hand rubbing the back of his bald head. “I overstepped, and for that I am deeply sorry.”

Eggsy’s stoicism finally cracked as the anger all but bled from him. His eyes softened immensely as he shirked his prim posture, slumping against the wall. His arms finally dropped to his sides. “Merlin,” he started, not even bothering to sign.

“Blair,” Merlin corrected. “My name is Blair.”

Eggsy gave the older gent a lopsided smile in response. “Okay, Blair,” Eggsy attempted to get his thoughts in the proper order. “I appreciate the concern, guv, but it’s my bloody choice to make ain’t it? ‘Sides, if I was really that fuckin' miserable I would already have ‘em implants, yeah?”

Merlin would never admit how relieved he was to hear Eggsy’s rough accent. “Fair enough, lad.” He agreed.

“Least I know who ta go to, if I ever decide ta look into it,” The agent rapped his knuckles on the desk and winked before striding out of the office in as uncouth a manner for which he’d entered.

And how was it after all this time that the young lad’s overly cheeky winks still had Merlin’s knees go weak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm more sleep deprived than I'd care to admit, so if this was confusing at any point then I sincerely apologize.
> 
> Come bug me on tumblr!  
> @dauntlessdiva


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Music and headaches and feelings, oh my!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was wondering when my music taste would worm it's way into one of my Kingsman fics.
> 
> The song at the beginning is I Like It Heavy by Halestorm, and the other song is Kill Me by The Pretty Reckless.
> 
> Roxy listens to hard rock and metal music, you can't convince me otherwise. 
> 
> If this makes no sense, I sincerely apologize, I've been fighting off a headache of my own while writing this, but I wanted to get it all down while I was still inspired.
> 
> I'm gonna go take some pain meds, drink some tea and sit in the darkness now.
> 
> Enjoy!

_“Some like beautiful, perfect and pretty_  
_I see the good in the bad and the ugly_  
_I need the volume one louder than ten_  
_I put the pedal to the metal, needle into the red_  
_If the windows ain't shaking_  
_Making my heart race_  
_If I can't feel it in my chest_  
_I'm in the wrong damn place!”_

Merlin’s head was throbbing at the assault to his ears. He’d suffered a month of this madness already and was ready to just turn off all the agents’ audio feeds at this point.

 _“I got a demon in my soul and a voice in my head_  
_It's saying go, go, go! I can sleep when I'm dead_  
_There's a sonic revelation bringing me to my knees_  
_And there's a man down below that needs my sympathy_  
_I got a ringing in my ears getting ready to burst_  
_Screaming ‘hallelujah, motherfucker, take me to church’”_

It was a good thing Galahad was already deaf, for there was no hearing beyond the music booming throughout the car. As it was, he didn’t understand how Lancelot sat in the passenger seat, singing along and headbanging gleefully as the agents sped through the winding picturesque countryside. Ever since Roxy had introduced Halestorm to Eggsy, he would barely go a minute without listening to the band. It was too harsh for Merlin’s taste, but he was glad that Eggsy had found something to enjoy in his deafness.

“I can’t hear it the way you or Rox can, obviously, but I can feel it.” He’d explained to Merlin, “I can feel the pounding of the bass and the rhythmic thumping of the drums. It had to be really loud for that, though.”

 _“I like it louder than the boom_  
_Of a big bass drum_  
_I need it harder than the sound_  
_Of a guitar grunge_  
_I love to crank it up_  
_Make it thump_  
_And evil to the core_  
_Headbanging in the pit_  
_And throwing my horns”_

He was happy for the lad, really, but Merlin would rather not join him in deafness just yet.

 _My fecking ears are bleeding lad._ Eggsy laughed heartily as the message popped up on his glasses, turning briefly to make eye contact with himself in the rear view mirror as he gave Merlin the two finger salute. Roxy looked over to her friend in confusion, but quickly returned to thrashing about and screaming along when Eggsy simply mouthed “Blair,” with no further explanation.

In the months since Eggsy had stormed Merlin’s office, the lad had, quite thoroughly, proven to the wizard that he didn’t need to have Lancelot tag along on his missions as of late. Yet he refused to have her stay behind unless she was on a mission of her own. He enjoyed her company, and liked having someone else with him to be his ears when he felt as though his other senses weren’t enough. Merlin was starting to hate sending Kingsman’s dynamic duo out on missions together.

They’d just finished a mission in the English countryside - someone was mixing a lethal amount of Fentanyl into a plethora of different recreational drugs and killing large amounts of the population in several small towns - and were headed back to HQ. They hadn’t been far enough out to use a jet, so they’d taken off in one of the small black Kingsman taxis. Which Merlin was beginning to regret ever giving the keys to Eggsy for.

He knew the lad was a talented driver, but he didn’t realize that Eggsy was a speed demon until the young agents were tearing through the streets. They were terrorizing everyone, pedestrians, bikers, cyclists, and fellow drivers alike. It was quite surprising that they’d managed not to have any sort of run in with the local police.

He’d only started to really regret it, though, when Roxy paired the car’s bluetooth with her phone and had cranked the volume.

 _“And all the lost souls say_  
_Every day I wake up_  
_Every day I wake up alone_  
_Kill me just kill me_  
_Or get me out of the sun_  
_Every day I wake up_  
_Every day I wake up alone_  
_Kill me just kill me_  
_Someone get me out of the sun”_

A different song was blasting through the small vehicle as it finally roared back onto the estate property.

“Galahad, Lancelot, welcome back.” Merlin greeted politely, nodding his head to both agents as he rubbed his temples in a fruitless attempt to will his headache away.

“Merlin, you alright?” Eggsy paused just in front of the bald wizard, green eyes softening and brows furrowing in concern.

“It’s just a headache, I’ll be fine. I love ye lad, but that music is gonna be the bleeding death of me one of these days.” Merlin was too busy trying to fight back the pain throbbing behind his eyes to pay attention to his words. It wasn’t until he saw Eggsy’s body seize up, frozen in place, that his own words finally registered.

“Blair?” Eggsy stared at Merlin with disbelief and apprehension. He looked wary and almost ready to bolt, and probably would’ve already if not for the fact that a small spike of hope had him rooted to the floor.

But Merlin didn't know that.

“Feck me,” The older man groaned, now in both mental and physical anguish.

“That’s my line, innit?” Eggsy teased, stepping closer to Merlin. Biting his lip, Eggsy sighed heavily. “Would it help you any to know the feeling is mutual? ‘Cause it is. I’ve been gone over you since you had me whisper in your ear and ya pulled the fucking ripcord on my parachute.”

“Ye-ye have?” Merlin almost didn’t dare to breathe as he watched the shorter man nod.

“Well don’t you look like a bunch of pinning idiots,” called a voice from behind them. The agent it belonged to finally stepping out of the shadows with a small dog nipping at his heels.

“Sod off Perce!”  
“Oh, for the love of-!”  
Eggsy and Merlin groused in unison, Merlin turning around to find JB ripping through the garage at top speed towards his owner.

“Hey there, my little ugly monkey! Hello! Hello, JB. Were you a good boy? Yeah? Were you a good boy?” The pug’s boisterous yips fell mostly on deaf ears, but that was fine. Eggsy knew JB was a good boy, JB was the best boy.

Merlin decided to leave the lad to it. Typing out a quick message, he settled back into his office to guide Bors through a mission that he hoped beyond all reason would, for once, not end explosively.

Eggsy’s glasses pinged as another message popped up, grinning like a madman as he picked up his dog and made his way out to the bullet train.

 _Our conversation is far from over, lad. Come to mine for a cuppa tomorrow night?_ His response was short, but no less enthusiastic.

_Yes, Merlin!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fentanyl laced drugs thing was an actual issue a year or so ago in my small town in Canada, so that was the inspiration for their mission.
> 
> Ugly Monkey is a nickname my uncle has for their pug, Rosie, so I used it here as well lol
> 
> This chapter sorta hit me out of nowhere when I was listening to Halestorm and remembered that my best friend's mom would always put music on insanely loud whenever she would clean the house (like stereotypical rowdy high school party from an american movie/tv show loud).
> 
> Sorry I'm rambling, I'm in desperate need of a nap right now. Holy fuck.
> 
> If you wanna come chat with me about this fic, or about other things, if you want to tell me something reminded you of my fic, or if you just wanna stop by and say hi, I'm @dauntlessdiva on Tumblr, and @i_heart-books99 on Insta!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eggsy being dark and sad, but mostly sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took an unforeseen turn. Whoops?  
> I didn't plan for this fic to go in this direction, but this is the path it lead me down.  
> Please don't question my sanity on this one. I assure you I am perfectly insane!  
> I was listening to Lost In You by Three Days Grace while writing this.

His foot kept tap tap tapping as he breezed through his flat, rag in hand, infectious music pounding so loud he could feel it in his chest. It was so all-consuming he was almost convinced his heartbeat had been replaced by rhythmic drumming. Eggsy was so caught up in dusting and dancing that he almost missed his mobile vibrating in his pocket. “Shit,” He scrambled to get the blasted thing out, nearly dropping it in the process. “Fuck me,” He groaned at the name flashing across the screen.

Eggsy hadn’t meant to avoid his mum, swear down, he’d just been busy recently. Between work and his dates with Merlin, it was rapidly coming up on a month that he hadn’t been for a visit and Michelle wasn’t standing for it.

_Gary Lee Unwin, you are coming over for tea this afternoon and that is final._

_Yes Mum, sorry Mum._

_Daisy ain’t the only one who misses you, babe._

_I’ll make it up to you both, swear down._

_I’m sure you will, luv._

_Love you Mum._

He sighed dramatically, getting back to dusting his flat. He’d never admit it to anyone, but he really missed his hearing sometimes. It would just be so much easier if he could call his Mum and explain. He’d get to hear her and Daisy, and they’d get to hear him. It would almost be like he was there. He already had trouble remembering what their voices sounded like.

Eggsy knew he could get implants, but would it be worth it? Some people only got partial hearing back with implants. Besides, even if his hearing was restored in full, he didn’t know if it would be worth it.

He still felt like he didn’t belong in the deaf community for not being born deaf, and some deaf people saw cochlear implants as an insult to the deaf community. Weren’t he supposed to be proud of his deafness? To be able to find the advantage in something looked down on as a hindrance?

He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to want and it was starting to drive him up the bloody wall. He felt like he was only playing at being deaf and that getting implants would be a way of mocking other deaf people somehow.

He felt like his skin didn’t fit right, no matter what he did to try and settle it.

He’d found the only times he ever felt like himself anymore were spent sparring with the other agents or the few times he and Merlin had been able to go out. They hadn’t done anything big, mostly meeting at a local cafe that sold the best cinnamon rolls he’d ever tasted, or to the pub across from Merlin’s flat that served the most amazing fish and chips. Eggsy hadn’t even gotten up the nerve to do more than peck Merlin on the cheek yet, for fucks sake!

And sparring was great and all, but there was only so much damage you could inflict and still have it be in good humour, so Eggsy found himself getting his less than friendly sparring matches elsewhere.

He’d feel horrid for it afterward, using Kingsman missions as a way to make himself feel sane. Using someone like that, beating to a bloody pulp (regardless of how much they deserved it), just so he could feel better about himself was not the way to do things.

But it was the only way he could think of other than spending all his free time with Merlin, which he would already be doing if they were far enough into this relationship to do that, but they hadn’t even bloody kissed yet. Never mind the fact that everyone knew Merlin coveted his alone time, and who was Eggsy to invade someone else’s space like that and make Merlin miserable just so he could feel a little better.

After all, who would look at the leader of a sex trafficking ring and say they didn’t deserve to be roughed up a little? Who would argue that the rich asshole selling guns overseas didn’t need his perfect face painted black and blue? These arseholes deserved a lot worse than getting the shite beat out of them. ‘Sides, some of them gave as good as they got. In the moment Eggsy reveled in it, feral grin showing blood stained teeth and laughing before throwing his fist forward, the sickening crunch of bone breaking falling on relentlessly deaf ears as blood streamed down the drug lord’s nose.

Sometimes he returned to HQ absolutely spotless, not a hair out of place. Mostly he returned disheveled and looking like he’d decided to take a bath in a pool of blood. Merlin would just shake his head and walk away, making Eggsy feel worse than he already did for the unnecessary violence he’d caused, for the additional mess he knew Kingsman would have to clean up.

It hurt knowing that Merlin didn’t approve of his actions, but he didn’t know how to make it stop. He didn’t know how to make himself feel like a human being again.

As if to make matters worse, Eggsy was shaken from his thoughts by a message popping up on his glasses. _Galahad, please report to HQ. Immediately._

Michelle was going to have his head for this.

~

They sent him on an emergency mission with Merlin of all people, because apparently whatever tech they had couldn’t be accessed remotely. Eggsy didn’t really care, just so long as he got to knock some heads together, he’d be fine. Though he didn’t know if he wanted Merlin to see it. Knowing about it was one thing, but having the man he cares about see him like that was a whole different matter.

He’d already beaten the scumbag into unconsciousness by the time Merlin caught up to him. His lip was split open and he could feel the bruise forming around one eye but he didn’t care, he just kept swinging, until suddenly his hit wasn’t landing.

Eggsy spun around, planning to swing just as viciously at whomever dared hold him back, only to find himself pressed into a firm chest, strong arms pinning him to his boyfriend as he struggled. There was a hand stroking his hair, a pair of lips on his head, and suddenly, breath coming in gasps and sobs wracking his body, he finally stopped fighting and let go.

“I’m sorry, Blair, I’m so sorry,” he repeated as he continued to sob, not looking up from where he was nestled in the Scot’s chest. Merlin simply placed a finger under the lad’s chin, drawing his face up slowly, until sorrowful green met compassionate hazel, and suddenly they were kissing. It was nothing like Eggsy thought it would be. This kiss was soft and sweet, and wet with the tears still trailing down his cheeks. It was nothing like he thought it would be, and it was everything he needed it to be. _It’s okay,_ the kiss said, _it’s going to be okay._

And Eggsy wasn’t about to disagree with a kiss like that.

Even if he still had a lot to make for with Michelle and Daisy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was way more sad and self deprecating than I thought it would be. The impostor syndrome came out in full force and that was not my intention. Eggsy beating the shit out of people, however, was very much my intention.
> 
> Feel free to come scream at me on tumblr!  
> I'm dauntlessdiva


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eggsy and Merlin take an impromptu trip to Scotland

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For once in my life I didn't write the majority of a chapter all at once! Yay!
> 
> Sorry I was a little later than normal with this one, I've been busy writing The Queen's Court now that I've decided to continue it, and I'm finding that it can be a bit difficult to switch from one fic to the other sometimes.
> 
> I will get to Michelle and Daisy soon, I promise. But until then, Scotland!

Eggsy still didn’t have any bloody clue why Merlin had dragged him to Scotland for the weekend. It had only been a week since his breakdown mid-mission, and he thought it to be way too soon for Merlin to be introducing Eggsy to his family. But regardless of what the wizard had planned for them, Eggsy trusted his boyfriend’s judgement. So here he was in front of a cozy looking house in Scotland, Merlin at his side, with a young lady around his age standing in the doorway with her arms crossed in front of her.

She was quite petite, with the same stick-person figure as Merlin, and a pair of stormy bluish grey eyes that seemed to stare into your soul from the other side of the lenses framing her face in dark purple. Her skin was a pale that Eggsy hadn’t thought possible for someone to naturally be without the addition of fangs and a strict diet of blood. But the oddities didn’t end there. Her shoulder length hair was a vibrant yet dark emerald green, baby fat still clung to her cheeks, making it impossible to pin down her age, she had a square jaw.

Light danced across her face when she moved, silver and gold piercings could be seen looping through one side of her lower lip, the opposite nostril, and littering her ears so heavily they seemed to be made of more metal than skin and cartilage. The most shocking thing about her, though, was how familiar this stranger looked. But there was no mistaking her expression, and Eggsy only knew of one other person with resting murder face.

“Adella,” Merlin greeted politely.

“Uncle Blair,” She returned promptly.

“Where’s your brother?”

“Out.”

“Adella.” Merlin reprimanded her illusive retort.

“Bastian went to get groceries, ye pecker-head.” The green haired girl replied sharply, finally shifting her attention to the young lad her uncle had brought with him. Tipping her head slightly, she pointed her chin towards Eggsy in question.

Merlin’s eyebrow raised, “Words, Addie.”

Adella made a face, light catching on yet another flash of silver as she stuck her pierced tongue out at him, making her look almost petulant. 'Use your words,' she mocked, “here’s some fecking words. Feck off, ye chicken legged bastard man.”

She made an obscene gesture at Merlin before returning her gaze to the lad Merlin still hadn’t introduced.

Eggsy was giggling uncontrollably as he turned to look at Merlin. 'I like her.' He signed deft fingers moving almost automatically. 'Were you like that at our age?'

“Worse,” Merlin smiled, knowing Eggsy hadn’t noticed he was signing, and likely hadn’t realised that Adella had been using sign as well as speaking aloud.

So of course that was the moment Eggsy spotted the only thing in Adella’s ears that weren’t silver nor gold. The hearing aides were the same shade of purple as her glasses, she showed them off to the world with something close to pride. Adella could be a stubborn and spiteful little thing at times, she was very unapologetically herself and liked to remind the world of that fact at every opportunity.

Suddenly, it all clicked into place. Adella and Eggsy’s gazes locked, eyes wide as saucers, and simply stared for a few agonizing seconds before their hands moved so fast they nearly blurred.

'You’re deaf?'

~

He couldn't get over how different they were. Sebastian was tall, with short auburn hair and a kindness that radiated from his very being. The only similarity between the twins Eggsy could discern was the colour of their eyes. The hearing aid hiding in Sebastian's right ear nearly escaped Eggsy's notice at first, it was far more subtle than his sister's, but there was no denying it's presence.

“Ye still haven’t told us why ye brought Eggy to Scotland with ye, Blair.”

“Eggsy,” Merlin corrected, fingerspelling as he spoke, 'E-G-G-S-Y.'

Sticking her tongue out, Adella waved her hand lazily signifying her uncle to continue.

“I brought Eggsy with me to talk to ye about Kingsman, lass.” Eggsy narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend, but Merlin ignored it, continuing on, “I’ve been trying to convince ye to join me for years and ye always say no. I thought maybe Eggsy could change your mind.”

"Are ye telling me that ye dragged yer coworker all the way out to bloody Scotland just to convince me to accept your fecking job offer? Nice try, boyo, but I'm nae a fool."

"It's part of the reason for the lad's presence."

"And the other part?"

"Adella," Merlin growled

"Ye wanted to bring your deaf boyfriend to meet your deaf niece and your hearing impaired nephew, aye?" Eggsy spluttered at the response, nearly choking on his tea.

Merlin glared at his brash niece, but Adella gave as good as she got when it came to dangerous facial expressions.

“I am curious though, as to why ye think a deaf tailor will have more luck convincing me to work with ye than my own uncle.” The look in her eyes said she knew, somehow, that Kingsman was more than just a tailor shop.

Adella turned her devilish grin Eggsy’s way and he knew instantly that it didn’t matter how this visit ended, or what might become of his relationship with Merlin in the future, the two deaf little shites were going to become fast friends.

“Fine, ye stubborn bastard, I’ll go to England with ye,” Adella conceded, “but only if Sebastian comes too. We’re a package deal, Blair, ye either get both McGrath twins or ye get none.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this! It's a little short, but it felt natural to end it where I did.
> 
> As always, if you wanna come say hi or chat or scream about fics with me, I'm dauntlessdiva on tumblr.


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